1. Fresh orange slices production. Ainia Technological Center Parque Tecbológico de Valencia. C/Benjamin Franklin 5-11. E-46980. Paterna Valencia. Spain. jgarcia@ainia.es http://www.ainia.es Engineering and Industrial Processes Department

2. Since consequence of the changes in the habits of the population it was detected the need of a commercial reorientation of the fruit production, more adapted to the current trends of consumption. The consumer demands products of quality and rapid consumption, preferably fresh products.Background All their attributes, characteristics and properties are those of fresh fruits. Minimally processed fruits are obtained after a process of peeling, cutting, washing and packaging fresh fruit. For peeling and cutting the fruit, there are two possibilities : Peel the skin of the complete fruit and slice it after, or slice the fruit before the skin are cut.

3. Option A). Peeled and sliced.Option B). Sliced, classified and peeled. The option A) gives problems of useful life. Ainia has developed a process for obtaining minimal processed orange that uses the option B) for peeling the fruit. In the next page you can see the different stages of the process. These are the two options mentioned before.

4. CUTTING THE TOP AND SLICING CLASSIFICATION PACKING REFRESHED STORING PEELED CLEANING UP AND SUPERFICIAL DRYING Diagram of the process stages RECEIPT, CLEANING, CALIBRATED AND STORAGE OF THE RAW MATERIAL

5. These are some examples of finish packing product, after applying all the process.

6. Search and identification of the commercial industrial equipment There are a wide variety of commercial machinery on the market, that resolve the stages of the process. RECEIPT, CLEANING, CALIBRATED AND STORAGE OF THE RAW MATERIAL CLEANING UP AND SUPERFICIAL DRYING PACKING REFRESHED STORING

7. Ainia has developed a commercial equipment for peeling the slices. Besides an equipment has been developed for classifying and cutting though there are commercial machines on the market for this stages that use different technologies. In the case of the peeling stage the commercial equipment you can found on the market is not valid because the method they use for peeling, gives problems of useful life.

8. Development of the first prototypes. Classifying orange slices machine

9. Peeling orange slices machine

10. In conclusion we can say: Process has been defined. Techno-Economical viability studies were favorable. There are commercial equipment for the rest of the stages, in the market. Different manufacturers of equipment are working with us Different companies of the sector are inverting in the first industrial lines for fruits in Spain and France The first Licenses agreement have been already signed First industrial line in Spain for minimal processed orange slices is been built at the moment.